Have you ever found that perfect clothing line and just felt as though the designer drew inspiration straight from your head? It is almost as if the clothes were designed specifically for you because they fall so in line with your likes, dislikes, designs, and taste.

It might even cause you to feel a little frustrated because you see how popular it is and you think of how you could be on the designing end of that clothing line. But, guess what? That designer felt that same way at some point. At one point in the life and career of that designer, they were new to the trade. They didn’t quite know what was going on or where to start. And, they probably even found themselves envying over other designers that they thought they could only hope and dream to be.

Even large clothing companies, like GCGme, had to have a beginning. The matter of the fact is, we all have to start somewhere. And, if you feel that fire and passion to join the fashion industry and start your own clothing line, then, by all means, use that fire and passion to create something unique and new. Put that drive to good use and reach for the stars.

But, if you are truly thinking about starting your own fashion line, although the fear won’t magically disappear, it never hurts to be prepared with a little advice first:

The commitment is real

You’ve probably heard the saying, “the struggle is real.” Well, when it comes to starting a fashion line, the commitment is real, too.

There will be a lot of trials, tribulations, and frustration along the way. So you need to determine from the beginning if you are in it for the long haul. And, while it might sometimes seem like the biggest challenge in your life, the reward will be even far greater than that.

So, start out knowing that you will need to spend several hours drawing and re-drawing your designs. You will need to be dedicated enough to visit fashion shows, parks, clothing stores, and art galleries for inspiration.

To truly design a fashion line that is from the heart, you need to be prepared to fully engulf yourself in this new commitment.

So, don’t forget – the commitment is real.

You need a gotta-have-it item

The key to reeling people into your clothing line is to develop that must-have item. You have to develop that one article of clothing that nobody can live without. Then, this will take customers from loving that item to them thinking “why not try these out, too” when it comes to your other pieces.

It can be anything from a skirt to a shirt. But, start by developing that one key item that your clothing line is centered around.

Start with a prototype

It is probably no secret to you that manufacturing clothes are not cheap. And, while it might be your best work yet, there is still no guarantee that everyone will just fall in love with it. The competition in the fashion industry right now is fierce. So, you need to be sure you know what market you are getting into.

Instead of just making everything and throwing it out there, start by developing a prototype to show potential buyers what they are looking at. Not only does this save you some money in comparison to developing several of the real thing, but it might just be the deciding factor that lands your brand a spot in your local clothing store.

The Internet is your friend

Of course, just about every fashion designer wants to have a brick-and-mortar store. A solid, physical store that has their name plastered everywhere and is just a unit full of their products. But, the overhead on a physical store is quite high.

So, start by setting up an e-commerce store. The Internet is your friend and e-commerce is simply selling your products via the Internet. There are several sites you could use to sell your product at first. Then you could eventually get your own site to market your product using a web hosting platform such as Shopify. It saves you a ton of money, you can operate from home, and honestly, what customer isn’t shopping on the Internet these days?

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22 responses

What an inspiring post! My mother was a seamstress/dressmaker when I was growing up and I used to steal her scraps and make Barbie clothes. I had such a dream of being a fashion designer way back when.

I would add talk to a Sales & Marketing strategist. Once the line is ready for sale you need a Sales and Marketing plan to get your line seen and off the racks in your storage or in your home depending on size.

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